MXPA97004654A

MXPA97004654A - Vibrational conveyor with motion that alters the control of f

Info

Publication number: MXPA97004654A
Application number: MXPA/A/1997/004654A
Authority: MX
Inventors: D Burgess Ralph
Original assignee: Food Engineering Corporation
Priority date: 1994-12-21
Filing date: 1997-06-20
Publication date: 1998-02-01

Abstract

The present invention relates to an individual drive conveyor with phase adjustment / motion alteration control to adjust the application of vibratory forces to the movement of the conveyor without changing the direction of the line resulting from the vibrational force generated by it, characterized in that it comprises: (a) an elongate material carrying member having a longitudinal centroidal axis; (b) vibration generating means connected to the material carrying member for transmitting vibratory forces to the material carrying member substantially only in a direction parallel to the centroidal axis longitudinal of the material transporting member; (c) the vibration generating means include two pairs of eccentrically loaded arrows with rotational, parallel, vibration-generating weights, and (d) a phase adjustment / motion alteration mechanism connected to the two pairs of vibration-generating arrows, t the mechanism can be changed in relation to the arrows to cause a pair of arrows to change their angular position in relation to the other of the pairs, to vary in a controlled manner the application of vibratory forces to the movement of the conveyor of the material carrying member through the vibration generating means without changing the direction of the line resulting from the force result

Description

VIBRATIONAL CONVEYOR WITH MOTION THAT ALTERS THE PHASE CONTROL DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION The present invention refers generally to vibratory conveyors, and more specifically to the technique of controlling the application of vibratory force to the material transporting member of a conveyor system, for the purpose of of altering the movement of the same to adjust the speed and / or the transport direction for different materials that have several different physical properties. The vibratory conveyors have been used in the manufacture of plants to transport all kinds of different items that have different wts, sizes and other physical characteristics. Through the use of such conveyors, it has become evident that articles having different physical characteristics are often transported in a better shape under different vibratory motions, and therefore, require a different application of vibratory force to the material transport member. to obtain the optimal transportation speed of the material being transported. It is also desirable, under certain circumstances, to change the direction in which the material is transported and in doing so during the transport operation.

Most conventional vibratory conveyors are of the type that "blow up" the articles transported along the transport path on the conveying member of conveyor system material. Such conveyors of the conventional type generate a resultant vibratory force, which is directed at an angle relative to the desired transportation path (angle of incidence), so that the material being transported is physically elevated from the material transport member and moved forward in relation to it as a result of the vibrational force applied to it. In order for such a conventional "skip" vibratory system to operate effectively, the resulting vibratory force must be of sufficient magnitude to overcome the wt of the material being transported and must have a substantial vertical component. The vertical component is not desirable due to the vertical forces that result from the construction structure that supports the conveyor, and also due to the breakage of the product that occurs in fragile products, due to the "jump". The need to transport several materials of different wts and physical characteristics more effectively has led to efforts in the design of conveyor systems, where the direction and magnitude of the application of vibratory force to the material transporting member, and consequently the movement thereof , they can be altered to adapt to such different materials. For such conveyors of the conventional type, efforts have been made to change the angle of incidence of the resulting vibrational force and / or stroke, in order to adjust the speed and / or direction of transportation. For example, as shown in U.S. Patent No. 3,053,379 issued to Roder et al on September 11, 1962, a conveyor system is provided with a pair of opposite counter-rotating eccentric loads, which produce a vibratory force resulting along the center line between such loads and through the center of gravity of the material transport member. Each eccentric load is driven by a separate motor, and by reducing the power to one of such motors, the eccentric load driven in this way is effectively dragged along, by the rotational energy of the first motor at a synchronous speed, but with the eccentric load being delayed at base, thus changing the angle of incidence of the resultant vibrational force applied to the material transport member. By way of another example, as shown in U.S. Patent No. 5No. 064,053, issued to Baker on November 12, 1991, one of the eccentric rotational loads of the vibration generating means can be mechanically altered in its angular position relative to the two remaining eccentric rotational loads, again causing a change in the angle of incidence of the resulting vibrational force, which can change the effective transportation speed, as well as the transportation direction, if desired. However, along with these changes, the introduction or exaggeration of a "jump" effect on the products being transported on the conveyor is not desirable. However, more recently, since the nature of "jumping" of such conventional conveyors tends to damage the products transported by them, and produces substantial noise and dust, product manufacturers have sought the use of conveyor systems of a different type , which lowers the normal vibrational forces to the desired transportation path. Such improved conveyor systems, similar to the conventional SLIP-STICKR conveyor, manufactured by Triple S Dynamics Inc., located at 1031 S. haskell Avenue, Dallas, Texas 75223, or similar to that shown in U.S. Patent No. 5,131,525, issued to Musschoot on June 21, 1992, they operate based on the theory of a slow-forward / fast-forward transporter race, which transports the product while making it advance slowly, and causes the product to slide forward in relation to to the conveyor to a fast return stroke, breaking the frictional coupling of the material with the material transport member. Conveyors of this type have absolutely no negative effects that are produced by the conventional "jump" type conveyor, since they employ movement, which is only substantially parallel with the desired transportation path, and absolutely eliminates all perpendicular movement. at the same (normal). Since the conveyor stroke resulting from such improved conveyors must remain as close as possible, lacking a force component in a direction normal to the desired transportation path, it is not desirable to change the angle of incidence of the resulting vibrational force. Doing this could destroy the intended function and mode of operation of such a conveyor system. Therefore, as shown in U.S. Patent No. 5,131,525, the vibratory drive systems of such conveyors are fixed so that the eccentric loads, used to generate the resultant vibratory force are maintained in a fixed position with respect to one to the other, thus creating the desired slow-forward / fast-return race, which is only substantially in a parallel direction with the desired transportation path. However, such conveyors provide no mechanical means to easily adjust the application of vibratory force to the material transport member. As can be seen from the foregoing, there is a need for a vibratory conveyor system, which is capable of transmitting vibratory forces to the material transporting member, only substantially in a direction parallel with the desired transportation path, while providing means for adjusting the application of vibratory force to the material transporting member, without altering the angle of incidence of the line of vibrational force generated by it. By providing such capacity in an individual vibratory conveyor system, it will allow the user thereof to easily and effectively change the movement of the material transport member to match the physical characteristics of the material being transported therein, and alter the speed and / or transportation address, without destroying the intended function of the conveyor system by introducing undesirable components of force in a direction normal to the desired transportation path for the material. To satisfy the above objects, a vibratory conveyor system has been developed, which operates with a fast forward / fast return conveyor which is directed substantially only along a line parallel with the longitudinal centroidal axis of the transport member of the conveyor. material, and which includes means for controlling the application of vibratory force to the material transport member. Through this unique construction, the application of vibratory forces to the material transport member can be altered at will, while the conveyor is in operation, without affecting the direction of the line resulting from the vibratory force, and without introducing any component of force that is transversal to the desired trajectory of transportation. The conveyor system includes vibration generation means, which have an individual drive motor to drive opposite parallel pairs of vibratory shaft of eccentric weight of total speed and of average speed of counter-rotation. The first pair of opposite parallel counter-rotation arrows, which may be referred to as medium velocity arrows, are symmetrically positioned and arranged transversely and substantially balanced on opposite sides of the longitudinal centroidal axis of the material transport member. These counter-rotating average speed arrows carry opposite eccentrically mounted loads. corresponding, which generate a substantially equal force and are placed operatively in relation to each other in order to cancel substantially all the centrifugal vibratory forces between them, which are generated in a direction normal to the longitudinal centroidal axis of the material transport member. Therefore, the resultant force produced by the eccentric loads carried by the medium speed arrows is always along a line substantially only in a direction parallel to the longitudinal centroidal axis of the material transporting member and parallel with the desired path of transportation. It is noteworthy that the substantially equal force generated by each of the opposite eccentrically mounted loads can be generated either by the opposite charges having equal masses and their support arms, being of equal length or by the opposite charges being of unequal weights and the lengths of their supporting arms, being such that the centrifugal force, which is generated by each, is equal. In each case, it is the final centrifugal force, which is generated, that of importance within each pair, and that force can be achieved by varying the length of the support arm to compensate for differences in the mass value of the load it carries. , or vice versa.

The second pair of opposing parallel counter-rotating arrows, which may be referred to as full-speed arrows, are symmetrically positioned adjacent to the medium-velocity arrows, and are transversely disposed and substantially balanced on opposite sides of the longitudinal centroidal axis of the member of transportation of the material. These opposite full speed counter-rotation arrows also carry eccentrically mounted, opposite, corresponding charges, which generate a substantially equal force and are placed cooperatively in order to cancel substantially all the centrifugal vibratory forces from each other, which are generated in a direction normal to the longitudinal axis of the material transport member. These full speed arrows are driven by the same engine, and the individual drive belt at a speed that is twice the speed of the average speed arrows, but its phase relationship to the medium speed arrows can be varied to through the use of a new phase adjustment / motion alteration mechanism to produce a desired relative angular displacement or phase differential between the angular position of the eccentric loads carried by the medium speed arrows and those eccentric loads carried by the velocity arrows total.

As used herein, the phrase "relative angular displacement" or "phase differential" means the degree of angular difference between the relative angular position of an eccentric load carried by a total speed arrow and the relative angular position of a load. eccentric carried by an average speed arrow in a "rest" or "start" position. For example, a phase differential of degree 0 is defined so that, when the product is transported from left to right of the vibration generation means, in a single instant, the eccentric load of the reference of an arrow of average velocity is at its left horizontal rotation point (its "resting" position), and the reference eccentric load of a full velocity arrow is also at its left horizontal rotation point. Then, a 60-degree rotation of the total velocity arrows from their "rest" or "start" position, and against their established direction of rotation, with the average velocity arrow, remaining in their left horizontal position, will create a negative phase differential of 60 degrees between the medium speed and full speed arrows. Changing the speed of the drive motor, and consequently that of the individual drive belt, the angular relationship of the eccentric load on the average speed arrow with respect to the eccentric load on the other medium speed arrow is not altered. Also, the speed change of the motor does not have an effect on the angular velocity of the eccentric load on a full speed arrow relative to the eccentric load on the other full speed arrow. The change in velocity of the individual drive motor and the individual drive belt merely causes the eccentric loads carried by the opposite medium velocity arrows, and the eccentric loads carried by the opposite full speed arrows, to continue canceling substantially all the vibratory forces with each other generated in a direction normal to the longitudinal centroidal axis of the material transport member. Also, the change of speed of the drive motor does not alter by itself the phase angle with respect to the arrows of medium speed and those of full speed. However, by altering only the angular position of the eccentric loads carried by the medium speed arrows in relation to the eccentric loads carried by the full speed arrows, the direction of the line resulting from the vibrational force generated will not change, but the application of the vibratory force to the material transport member will change. This is accomplished by using the phase / motion alteration mechanism in order to alter the relative angular positions. This allows an operator of the conveyor system to change the application of the vibratory force to better handle the materials having different physical properties, and to obtain the optimum transport speed for the same, without introducing undesirable forces in a direction normal to the desired path of travel. transportation. For any given material and at a particular rotational ejection speed, the relative angular phase relationship between the eccentric loads carried by the medium speed and full speed arrows can be checked and adjusted continuously until the best application of the vibratory force is determined. to the transportation member of material, which will produce the optimal transportation speed for the particular material that is being transported by it. Making such phase adjustments between the angular position of the eccentric loads carried by the medium speed arrows with respect to the angular position of the eccentric loads carried by the full speed arrows at a particular rotation speed, both the speed of transportation, including zero speed, such as the transportation direction, may be altered at will, during the operation of the conveyor system, without introducing any undesirable component of force in a direction normal to the longitudinal centroidal axis of the material transport member or transportation path defined by it. This represents a distinct advantage over conventional conveyor systems of the prior art, which necessarily require stopping the conveyor to be a mechanical adjustment or change of parts to effect a change in the direction of the line resulting from the vibratory force with the order to change the speed, or direction of transportation. As described below, a graph showing the transport speed measured for a potato wafer product against the phase relationship between the relatively fast and slow loading arrows, at a particular rotational speed of arrow, is shown in FIG. Figure 14, presented with it. It should be noted that not all products produce such a gentle curve. Adjusting the phase adjustment mechanism / movement alteration, therefore, while the conveyor is transporting a product, you can get the optimal transportation speed. This optimum speed is often not the highest speed that can be obtained. It should also be noted that changing the rotational speed of the eccentrically loaded arrows can cause the maximum product transport speed to occur at a different phase differential between the medium speed and full speed arrows. A graph showing the product transport speeds measured against the negative phase differential of the full speed arrows for a roasted rice breakfast cereal product at different rotational speeds of the medium speed arrows, is shown in Figure 15 It should be noted that for this product, and for most products in general, the maximum transport speed occurs at an increased negative phase differential as the conveyor rotation speed increases. Some conveyors may be equipped with a variable speed actuator, as well as the phase adjustment / motion alteration mechanism of the present invention, which will allow the adjustment of both the phase differential and the rotational speeds to reach the optimum speed of transportation of product. As the rotational speeds of the medium speed and full speed arrows increase, the centrifugal forces they generate also increase, and this is a high speed limit of practical design for the vibration generating mechanism. As described below, the phase adjustment / motion alteration mechanism is constructed and arranged in order to reduce the upper continuum of the drive belt as it lengthens in the lower continuum thereof, and vice versa. The reduction and lengthening of the continuum is achieved by operating a reversible air motor, or electric motor, or other power source, which is connected in a drive relationship to the mechanism of vibration alteration through a screw mechanism. Such changes cause that the relation of relative angular phase between the arrows of average speed and the arrows of complete speed, are altered and in this way, change the speed of transportation of the material. Once the optimum speed is determined, the position of the phase adjustment / motion alteration mechanism can be maintained through a sensor that is provided for that purpose. BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS These and other objects and advantages of the invention will become more apparent from the following description, made together with the accompanying drawings, in which similar reference characters refer to the same or similar parts through the various views, and in which: Figure 1 is a front elevational view of a conveyor vibration mechanism having one of four phase adjustment / movement alteration mechanisms, mounted on it; Figure 2 is a vertical sectional view taken along line 2-2 of Figure 1; Figure 3 is an opposite side elevation view of the conveyor vibration mechanism shown in Figure 1; Figure 4 is a fragmentary elevation view of the phase adjustment / motion alteration mechanism, on an enlarged scale, taken along line 4-4 of Figure 5; Figure 5 is a vertical sectional view, taken through the phase adjustment / movement alteration mechanism; Figure 6 is a horizontal sectional view taken along lines 6-6 of Figure 4; Figure 7 is a perspective view of the internal panel member of the phase adjustment / motion alteration mechanism; Figure 8 is a perspective view of the external panel path follower of the phase adjustment / motion alteration mechanism; Figure 9 is a side elevation view of the same vibration mechanism of the conveyor, similar to the Figure 3, with all the loads shown extending in the same direction, which is different from that shown in Figure 3.

Figure 10 is another side elevational view of the conveyor vibration mechanism, where the full speed weights have been angularly displaced 180 ° relative to their orientation in Figure 9. Figure HA is a presented graph illustrating the acceleration of a member for transporting material over a revolutionary cycle, wherein the medium speed and full speed loads, of the vibration generating means are oriented as shown in Figure 9; Figure 11B is a designed graph of the displacement of a material transport member over a revolutionary cycle, wherein the average speed and full speed loads of the vibration generating means are oriented as shown in Figure 9; Figure 12A is a graph designed of the acceleration of the material transport member over a revolutionary cycle, wherein the medium velocity and full speed loads of the vibration generating means are oriented as shown in Figure 10; Figure 12B is a designed graph of the displacement of the material transport member over a revolutionary cycle, wherein the medium speed and full speed loads of the vibration generating means are oriented as shown in Figure 10; Figure 13A is a graph designed of the acceleration of the material transport member over a revolutionary cycle, where the medium speed and full speed loads are angularly displaced in such orientation to produce no transportation of net product; and Figure 13B is a designed graph of the displacement of the material transport member over a revolutionary cycle, where the medium speed and full speed loads are angularly displaced in such orientation that they do not produce any transportation of net product. Figure 14 is a graph designed of the transportation speed of an illustrative product (potato chips) over a revolutionary cycle of changes in the relative angular displacement of the full speed arrow of the vibration generating mechanism at a particular drive speed. The preferred form of the invention is shown in Figures 1-7, inclusive. As best shown in Figure 1, this includes an elongated conveyor, indicated generally with the number 10 having a longitudinal centroidal axis and which is supported by a supporting mechanism 11 to ensure movement of the conveyor substantially in a single plane. The details of the mechanism 11 and the manner in which it operates are described in United States Patent Series No. 08 / 253,768, entitled "Conveyor Support Apparatus for Straight-Line Motion", filed by Ralph D. Burgess., Jr., on June 3, 1994, such a request is incorporated herein by reference and describes and claims a separate invention. U.S. Patent Application Serial No. 08 / 254,320, entitled "Dual Drive Conveyor System with Vibrational Control Apparatus and Method of Determining Optimum Conveyance Speed of Product Therewith", submitted by Ralph D. Burgess, Jr., David Martin , and Fredrick D. Wucherpfennig on June 6, 1994, also refers to this patent application and is incorporated herein by reference and describes and claims a separate invention. The double-drive invention has separate actuators for the medium speed and full speed arrows and refers to the medium speed arrows as "master" arrows and the full speed arrows as "subordinate" arrows, since they do not mechanically join jointly and the "subordinate" responds directly to the "teacher" through electrical sensors and controls. The present invention, however, has the medium speed and full speed arrows mechanically joined together through a common drive time control band with an individual drive motor so that it is not in a master relationship. / subordinate, and the eccentrically loaded rotating arrows of this invention are, therefore, referred to therein as medium speed and full speed arrows. The vibration generating means as shown in Figure 1, are generally identified with the letter V. As best seen in Figure 1, the conveyor has opposite discharge and product receiving ends 12 and 13, respectively. The product receiving end 13 terminates, as shown, beyond the support 11, so that it becomes the discharge end, and if the transportation direction exists and when it is reversed, as described below. The entire vibration generation mechanism V is further supported by a support mechanism S, at its opposite end, which is similar in construction and operation to the support mechanism 11. As shown, the vibration generation mechanism V is connected to the end of the conveyor 10 on the longitudinal centroidal axis of the conveyor. The vibration generation mechanism V includes, as best shown in Figures 1 and 2; a housing 13 with a generally rectangular shape, in cross section, which has a pair of elongated openings 15 and 16 vertically in extension, formed in the rear wall, as best seen in Figure 3. A cover plate 17 is secured through bolts 18 on the opening 15, and a second cover plate 19 is similarly secured through bolts 20 on the opening 16. Mounted for rotation within the upper and lower portions of the housing 14 is a pair of arrows of vertically separated vibration generating means 21, 22. As best shown in Figure 2, the arrow 21 is supported on bearings 23 and 24, while the arrow 22 is mounted on the upper portion of the housing in similar bearings, as indicated as number 25 in Figure 3, only one of these is shown. As best shown in Figure 2, the full speed vibration generating shaft 28 is mounted on bearings 26, 27 and carries a load 29, which is supported by a pair of support arms 30, 31. These arms are fixedly connected to arrow 28 and are swung with arrow 28 as it rotates. Mounted on the lower full speed arrow 32 is a similar load 33, which generates a force equal to that generated by load 29, and which is supported by a pair of support arms, as identified by the number 34, as best shown in Figure 3, only one of which is shown. Like the load 29, the load 33 is fixedly secured through the previous pair of support arms to its arrow 32. In this way, there is a pair of full speed vibration generating arrows, which are vertically separated, have a counter -rotation and carry loads that produce symmetrically balanced force. Mounted inside the housing 14 on the arrow 21, for the tilting movement therewith, there is a load 35 having a heavier mass than that carried by the rotatable arrows 28 and 32. This load is supported by a pair of arms of support, as best shown in Figure 2, each is identified with the number 36. Likewise, the upper arrow 22 carries a load 37, which generates a force equal to that generated by the load carried by the arrow 21 and it is supported by a similar pair of support arms, such as the support arm 38, fixedly mounted on the arrow 22 and rotating therewith, one of which is not shown. Mounted on the forward end of each of the arrows described above, there is a drive pulley. In this way, the full speed arrow 32 carries a full speed drive pulley 39 with a diameter equal to the full speed drive pulley 40 which is carried by the arrow 28 and is driven in a counter-rotating direction. . Likewise, the arrow 21 carries a drive pulley 41, which is the same size as the pulley 42 which is carried by the arrow 22 and is of equal diameter. The pulleys 41 and 42 are rotated at the same speed in an offset direction through the drive belt that will be presented later. It will be seen referring to Figure 3, that the equal and opposite charges of each of the vibration arrows can be mounted in order to extend in opposite directions at the same time, so that the effect of each load in the direction normal to the conveyor, as It tilts in opposite directions, is contracted by that of the vibration arrow and another equal force generating load of the pair. Since all the arrows are driven by the same drive belt and since the diameter of the drive pulley for each arrow in each pair is equal, the two arrows in each pair rotate at the same speed but in opposite directions. Also, the diameter of the full speed pulleys is equal to one half the diameter of the medium speed pulleys, thus driving the full speed arrows at twice the speed of the medium speed arrows.

The phase adjustment / motion alteration mechanism 50 is best shown in Figures 1 and 4-8. This is mounted in an elongated opening 51, vertically in extension, which is formed in the front face of the housing 14. As best shown in Figures 4 and 7, it includes an elongated path member 52, which functions as a cover for opening 51 and includes a pair of longitudinally spaced mounting tabs 52a and 52b, which extend normally therefrom towards its lower end and each of which has a transverse hole for the purposes to be described below. The path member 52 is secured to the front face or surface of the housing 14 through bolts or screws 53. FIG. 5 shows an elongate inner side panel 55, which supports a pair of support arrows 56 and 57 transversally and extending outside. These support arrows extend through the outer sliding panel 58 through a hole provided therefor, and each supports a tensioning pulley, as shown, and is identified as 59, 60. Thus, the inner sliding panel 55 it carries the outer sliding panel 58 with it as it moves vertically within the path opening 54 of the path member 52. As best shown in Figures 6-8, the outer slide panel 58 has a follower portion 58 (a), which extends longitudinally thereof and inward thereof, and guides the outer sliding panel 58 as it moves along the elongated path member 52. As best shown in Figure 5, the panel Internal slide 55 carries a pair of support ears 61, 62 spaced apart, which extend inwardly. A spherical nut 63 is threaded into the hole of each of these support ears. A pair of bolt / nut combinations 64, 65 (see Figure 6) extend transversely through the support ears 61, 62 to wedge the spherical nut 63 in a fixed position relative thereto, when the nuts are tight to extract such support ears from each other. An elongated screw 66, which is put in place through bearing 67, is threaded through the spherical nut 63 and cooperatively drives the sliding panels 55 and 58 up and down, depending on the rotation direction of the screw 66 around its longitudinal axis. The thrust load of the screw 66 is carried by the bearings 678 as the screw rotates. In this way, rotation of the screw 66 causes the tensioning pulleys 59 and 60 to move up or down together, depending on the direction of rotation of the screw.

Also, as best shown in Figure 5, the bearings 67 are mounted on the mounting flange 52b of the path member 52 and support the screw 66 as it rotates about its longitudinal axis. An air motor 68 is connected to the lower end of the screw 63 through a coupling 69, so as to drive the screw 66 in any direction of rotation, since the air motor 68 is reversible. Control means are provided for reversing the air motor in a controlled manner, but they have not been shown, since they are not part of the invention. Also mounted on the front surface of the housing 14, and located as best shown in Figure 1, there is a plurality of tensioning pulleys 70, 71, 72 and 73. Mounted on the rear end of the housing 14 is a motor 74 having an ejector pulley 75, around which the drive belt 76 extends. As shown in Figure 1, the driving belt 76 has a top continuous 77 and a lower continuous 78, the upper continuous 77 passes around the top of the two medium speed and full speed pulleys, as well as around the pulley 59 of the upper portion of the phase adjustment mechanism / movement alteration, while the lower continuum 78 passes around the lower average speed pulley 41 and the speed 60 of the lower portion of the phase adjustment / motion alteration mechanism, all in a driving relationship. The external driving circumference of each of the pulleys 39, 40, 41 and 42 has a plurality of circumferentially spaced axially extended ribs disposed about their circumferential surface to cooperate with corresponding drive projections carried by the drive belt 76, all in a manner well known in the art, in order to achieve the driving function of the driving belt 76. As shown in Figure 1, the driving belt 76 extends from the engine 75 downwards around the lower circumferential surface of the pulley 71 and thus upwards, on and around the lower pulley 60 of the phase adjusting / movement altering mechanism 50, then down and around the tension pulley 72 and then upwards around a portion of the upper circumferential surface of the medium speed pulley 41. From there, it goes down and up around the pulley te No. 73 and up and around the upper mean speed pulley 42. From there, it passes over and under the tension pulley 70 and down, around and below the pulley 59 of the phase adjustment / alteration device of motion 50, from there it passes up around and over the full speed pulley 40 and down and around the full speed pulley 39 and back to the drive pulley 75. As "stated above, the speed pulleys means 41 and 42, travel at an average speed that of the full speed pulleys 39 and 40, without considering the position of the phase adjustment / movement alteration mechanism, since they are all driven through the same drive belt 76 It will be readily seen that, when the loads of the medium speed and full speed pulleys are in the positions shown in Figure 3, the drive of the pulleys and their respective arrthrough the drive belt 76 will cause the effect that the load of the uppermost part of each pair of arragainst acts the effect of the other, and the lower load of the pair, since they rotate in counter-rotation directions as a result of the way in which the drive belt 76 passes around the circumference of each of the associated pulleys. In this way, the effect of each of the loads in a vertical direction is always negated by the effect of the opposite load of each pair, and therefore, no vertical component is applied to the conveyor as a result of the rotation of the Vibration generating arr Due to this arrangement, the vertical forces generated by any of the loads will always be canceled by an opposite force generated by the opposite load of the pair. However, due to this same arrangement, the horizontal forces generated by any of the loads will not be canceled by the opposite load of the pair. Rather, the horizontal forces generated by each charge will be added to those forces generated by the opposite charge in the pair. This arrangement alla preferred, desired horizontal force generation, which may be different for different products. Since each of the loads generates an equal force with respect to the opposite load of the torque, there is no torque of the vibration generating arraround a vertical axis. Since the charges are symmetrically placed along the longitudinal centroidal axis, the resulting horizontal force generated by it continuously acts along the longitudinal centroidal center of the conveyor. Also an electronic sensor 79 is mounted on the front surface of the housing 14 and is directed downwardly against a sensor lens 79a, which is mounted on the phase adjustment / movement alteration mechanism 50 and moves vertically therewith towards and away from the sensor 79. In this way, the operator can observe and maintain the position of the mechanism 50, where placed, when an optimal speed for a particular product has been determined and through repeated adjustments by the upper and lower band continuous operator. Below a group of illustrative conditions, as shown in Figure 2 and 3, the loads 37 and 35 of the medium speed arrows generate a total force in a direction parallel to the longitudinal axis of the trough, almost equal to the force total generated by loads 29 and 33 of the full speed arrows that rotate at twice the speed. Of course, the above ratio of the generated forces can be altered as desired to create the optimum magnitude of the vibrational force that will be applied to the material transport member 10 for a given situation. The forces generated by the two pairs of arrows and their associated loads and support arms may be the same or, as indicated above, the forces generated by one pair of the arrows may exceed that of the other pair, to provide different results, depending on is desired These results can be obtained by varying the values of the loads and the lengths of the arms, which support those loads on the arrows. As indicated above, it has been found preferable to operate the arrows 28 and 32 at a normal speed, which is twice that of the arrows 21 and 22. Although it is contemplated that other speed relationships between the arrows 28 may be used, 32, and the arrows 21, 22 to provide a given application of vibratory force, it has been found that the ratio of 2: 1 is very effective in providing the desired fast forward / return conveyor stroke for the transportation of materials. To maintain the speed of the arrows 28 and 32 at twice the speed of the arrows 21 and 22, the pulleys 39 and 40 are constructed at half the diameter of the pulleys 41 and 42. To illustrate the effect of a speed ratio of 2: 1 between the arrows 28, 32 and the arrows 21, 22, reference is made to Figure 9, wherein an illustrative set of loads is shown in dashed lines at a nominal angular orientation given in relation to each other, so that, in an instant, the eccentrically mounted loads 80 and 81 on the full speed arrows 28 and 32, and the eccentrically mounted loads 82 and 83 on the medium speed arrows 21 and 22 are all mounted in the same direction pointing the way opposite of the transportation address. Under such circumstances, the resultant force in the snapshot shown in Figure 9 will be the sum of the force produced by both loads 82, 83 and loads 80, 81, in a direction opposite to the direction of transportation. A 90 ° rotation of the medium speed arrows 21 and 22 will result in a 180 ° rotation of the full speed arrows 28 and 32. Under such conditions, the ears 82 and 83 are aligned in a vertically opposite orientation and do not they produce no force in the transport direction, leaving only a less significant force in the direction produced by the loads 80, 81. An additional 90 ° rotation of the medium speed arrows 21 and 22 in the same direction, results in another 180 ° rotation of the full speed arrows 28 and 32. The loads 82, 83 are then aligned in the conveying direction, and the loads 80, 81 are aligned in the opposite direction in the direction of transportation, thus canceling the force of the loads 82, 83 to produce virtually no net resultant force in the direction of transportation. Another 90 ° rotation of the medium speed arrows 21 and 22 in the same direction will result again, another 180 ° rotation of the full speed arrows 28 and 32. Under such conditions, the loads 82, 83 are again aligned in an opposite vertical orientation and produce no force along the transportation path, while the loads 80, 81 are again aligned in the direction of transportation, thus producing a less significant force in the transportation direction. Another 90 ° rotation of the medium speed arrows 21 and 22 in the same direction will complete the revolutionary cycle ^ and will cause all the loads to become aligned in the opposite direction to the transportation direction, thus starting a new cycle. As can be seen from the previous illustration, through a cycle of rotation of the medium speed arrows 21 and 22, there is a relatively short but strong force applied to the material transport member 10 in the opposite direction to the direction of transportation, followed by a series of relatively less significant forces applied to the transportation member 10 in the desired transportation direction. The short long force will effectively cause the material being transported to slide forward on the material transport member 10, while less significant forces on the rest of the cycle will move the conveyor 10 in the desired direction of transportation. Thus, as can be seen, by rotating the full-speed arrows 21 and 22 at a speed twice that of the average speed arrows 28 and 32, the desired fast-forward / fast-forward conveyor stroke occurs. Since the relative angular relationship of the charges 82 and 83 remains constant with each other, and the same relationship is true with respect to the charges 80 and 81, the travel of the fast forward / fast return conveyor is substantially free of any force component. directed normal to the desired transportation path. Positional relationships other than those mentioned above between the eccentrically mounted loads on the full speed and medium speed arrows, unlike the conventional conveyors previously described, is the specific purpose of the present invention to be able to alter the angular position of the loads 80. , 81 relative to the angular position of the loads 82, 83, while the transportation operation is presented. There is a need for capacity to allow the conveyor operator to change the phase relationship in order to change the transportation speed when, for example, a change in the production rate occurs. Such angular displacement or phase differential between the loads 80, 81 and the loads 82, 83 facilitate the alteration of the application of vibratory force to the material transport member 10, without changing the direction of the line of the resulting vibrational force imparted to the same. Also, by changing the angular displacement or the phase differential during the operation of the conveyor, the operator can observe the effects of such changes under the product, and can select the optimum speed to minimize the noise, damage to the product and to optimize the velocity of transportation of the product and the depth of the bed to meet the production needs. To illustrate the operation and utility of the individual drive conveyor system with its phase adjustment / motion alteration mechanism 50, reference is made to Figures HA to 12B. Figures HA and 11B are designed graphs of acceleration and displacement transfer functions over a revolutionary cycle for a group of charges 82, 83 and loads 80, 81, oriented as shown in Figure 9. Figures 12A and 12B are graphs designed for acceleration and displacement transfer functions on a revolutionary cycle of a group of loads 82, 83 and loads 80, 81, oriented as shown in Figure 10, where the charges 80, 81 have been angularly offset by 180 ° relative to the loads 82, 83 through the use of the phase adjustment / motion alteration mechanism 50. For For the purposes of illustration in Figures HA to 12B, a conveyor system with a rotation speed of 350 RPM on medium speed arrows 21, 22, and a speed of 700 RPM on the full speed arrows 28, 32, has been chosen . Also, the loads 82, 83 have been chosen to have a mass that will produce a maximum resultant combined force which is 1.5 times the maximum resultant combined force produced by the charges 80, 81.

The total conveyor stroke will be restricted approximately 2.45 cm. Under the above conditions, as shown in Figure HA, through a complete revolution of the medium speed arrows 21 and 22 (two revolutions of full speed arrows 28 and 32), the acceleration of the material transport member 10 peaks in a direction of approximately 27.8 m / sec2 shortly after .02 seconds (corresponding to the position of the loads in Figure 9). The material transport member 10 then decelerates and begins to accelerate in the opposite direction in approximately .05 seconds. During the period of about .05 seconds to about .16 seconds, the material transport member continues to accelerate to a variably reduced level (a maximum of approximately 12.4 m / sec2) in the opposite direction of its initial acceleration, and then again it slows down and starts accelerating in the initial direction after starting a new cycle. Note that the initial acceleration is much stronger during a longer period than the subsequent acceleration in the opposite direction, giving rise to the desired forward / fast-forward transporter race. As can be seen in Figure 11B, the graph of the corresponding displacement transfer function shows the displacement of the material transport member 10 during a corresponding period covering a single conveyor stroke. As seen in the graph of Figure 11B, from rest, the material transporting member 10 is initially moved rapidly in one direction at a distance of about 0.012 m (1.27 cm), and then reversed and begins a rather slow and gradual movement to a maximum displacement in the opposite direction of approximately 0.0091 meters (0.91 cm), where another rapid movement in the initial direction begins. The total displacement or stroke of the conveyor of the material transport member 10 is approximately 2.18 cm, with approximations of the desired preselected limit of approximately 2.45 cm. Such rapid movement in one direction, and the rather slow forward movement in the opposite direction, provides the desired slow-forward / fast-forward conveyor stroke, which is desired to transport the product with vibratory forces, which are directed substantially only to along the desired trajectory of transportation, without introducing vibratory forces in a direction normal to it. It should be noted that a product, which has a coefficient of friction of about .4 to .5 will stick to the transportation member 10 and move with it when the acceleration of the material transportation member 10 is less than about 4.5 m. / sec2, and the product will slide on the material transport member 10 for acceleration exceeding approximately 4.5 m / sec2. Then, referring to Figure HA, it can be seen that the product will slide by the movement of the material transport member 10 in the direction of the acceleration peak upwards of about 27.8 m / sec2, and the product will be transported as which accelerates in the direction of the descending peaks, during those portions of the curve when the acceleration is less than about 4.5 m / sec. This coincides with the description in Figure 11B, where the initial displacement of the material transport member 10 in one direction is rapid, causing the product to slide, and then enter a relatively slow period of advance where the product is transported. will move with the material transportation member 10. Under the conditions shown in Figure 10, where the full speed loads 80, 81 have been angularly displaced 180 ° relative to their positions shown in Figure 9, through the control of the phase adjustment / motion alteration mechanism 50, the direction of transportation will be reversed. As seen in Figures 12A and 12B, with the medium velocity and full speed loads oriented as shown in Figure 10, the graphed waveforms of the acceleration and displacement of the material transport member 10 are essentially inverted. those waveforms shown in Figures HA and 11B. Thus, the period of rapid acceleration and displacement of the material transport member 10 has an inverted direction, as it has the slowest and most gradual period of acceleration and displacement. Therefore, it is readily apparent that the application of the vibratory force to the material transport member 10 has been altered through the use of the phase adjustment / motion alteration mechanism 50 to effectively reverse the acceleration and displacement characteristics of the vehicle. member of transportation of material 10. Consequently, the relative member of the transportation member of material 10 is effectively invested, as is the transportation of the product carried by it. It should be understood that the above illustrative conditions show the results of an angular displacement at 180 ° of a nominal group of angular positions of the respective full speed and average velocity loads shown in Figure 9 to a second group of relative angular positions. Mounted in Figure 10 only illustrates a conceivable alteration in the application of vibratory force. The phase adjustment / motion alteration mechanism-50 can be activated to reposition the pulleys 59 and 60 at any time during the operation of the conveyor, thereby altering the lengths of the web continuums 77 and 78 to effect a new angular displacement between the full speed and the respective average speed loads. For example, the activation of the phase adjustment / motion alteration mechanism 50 to cause an angular displacement of 90 ° from an initial nominal orientation, as shown in Figure 9, will produce a new application of vibrational force that will cause the member of material transportation 10 oscillate symmetrically around your initial resting position, without any transportation in any direction. As shown in Figures 13A and 13B, under such circumstances, the acceleration and displacement waveforms are symmetric with respect to the origin and mid-cycle, thus producing no net transportation, and effectively reducing the transportation speed to zero . With the full speed loads 80, 81 and the average speed loads 82, 83 in such orientation, the increase in relative angular displacement will slightly cause the transportation to start in one direction, while reducing the relative angular displacement will cause the Transportation in the opposite direction. Of course, numerous other objective angular displacements can be selected among the previously illustrated cases to give rise to variable applications of vibratory force, and consequently variable speeds of product transportation. Figure 14 shows an illustrative potato product, which is a good example of a fragile product, in which the higher speed can not be the optimum speed. A designed graph of the speed of transportation of the potato chips is shown on a revolutionary cycle of change in a relative angular displacement between the medium and full speed arrows at a particular driving speed. As shown, it indicates the transportation speed measured against the phase relationship between the full speed, heavy fast arrows 28, 32 and the slow, heavy, medium speed arrows 21, 22. It will be seen that the phase ratio of approximately 360 degrees is identical to that of 0 degrees. The data for this produces a rather smooth curve, which is similar to a breast curve. Not all products produce such a smooth curve. It can also be seen that changing the rotational speed of the eccentrically heavy arrows 21, 22, 28 and 32 could cause the maximum product transport speed to be present at a different phase differential between the medium speed and full speed arrows. A graph showing the product transport speeds measured against the negative phase differential of the full speed arrows for a roasted rice breakfast cereal product at rotational speeds different from the medium speed arrows, is shown in Figure 15 As can be seen there, the maximum product transportation rate for a generic roasted rice breakfast cereal occurs at a phase differential of approximately -60 degrees when the medium speed arrows rotate at 350 RPM, but change to approximately - 80 degrees when the medium speed arrows rotate at 600 RPM. It should be noted that for this product, and for most products, generally the maximum transport speed occurs at a negative phase differential as the rotational speed of the conveyor increases. Some conveyors can be equipped with a variable speed actuator, as well as the phase adjustment / motion alteration mechanism of the present invention, which will allow the adjustment of both the phase differential and the rotational speeds to reach the speed of Optimal product transportation. As the rotational speeds of the medium speed and full speed arrows increase, the centrifugal forces they generate also increase, and there is a practical design high speed limit for the vibration generator mechanism. By adjusting the relative angular positions of the average speed loads 82, 83 relative to the speed loads 80, 81, the operator of the individual drive conveyor system is able to change the application of the vibratory force to the material transport member 10. , during its operation, consequently changing the speed and / or direction of the transportation, without introducing undesirable vibratory forces in the direction normal to the desired transportation path. As previously indicated, this represents a distinct advantage over conventional conveyor systems, which necessarily require a change in the angle of incidence of the line resulting from the vibratory force in order to change the speed or direction of transportation. In addition, the operator can achieve such changes while the conveyor is in operation and can observe the results of such changes while it is operating, in order to make further adjustments, if necessary. Through the use of the individual drive conveyor system with the phase adjustment / movement alteration mechanism, it is possible to determine, during the operation of the conveyor 10, the optimum application of the vibratory force that produces the best transport speed for a material given, which will be transported. Through the use of the phase adjustment / motion alteration mechanism 50, an operator can adjust the angular displacement of the average speed loads 82, 83 relative to the full speed loads 80, 81 and observe, inspect and maintain the transport speed of the material relative to the selected angular displacement through the use of the sensor 79. The operator can then change the relative angular displacement between the average speed loads 82, 83 and the full speed loads 80, 81 with the adjustment mechanism of phase / alteration of movement 50 and repeat the previous procedure until the optimal transport speed is determined. From the above, one can easily determine which desired angular displacement, to which a given conveyor must be fixed, in order to provide the necessary application of vibratory force to effect optimal transportation of the particular selected material. It is observed, of course, that the optimum speed for any given material depends on the physical properties of it, and it can not necessarily be the fastest speed at which the material can be transported.

Of course, it will be understood that various changes can be made to the Jornia, details, disposition and proportions of the parts without departing from the scope of the invention, which comprises the subject matter shown and described herein and set forth in the appended claims.

Claims

CLAIMS 1. An individual drive conveyor with phase adjustment / motion alteration control to adjust the application of vibratory forces to the movement of the conveyor without changing the direction of the line resulting from the vibrational force generated by it, characterized in that it comprises (a) a transport member of elongated material having a longitudinal centroidal axis; (b) vibration generating means connected to the material transporting member for transmitting vibratory forces to the material transporting member substantially only in a direction parallel to the longitudinal centroidal axis of the material transporting member; (c) the vibration generating means include two pairs of eccentrically charged vibration-generating, rotatable, parallel arrows; and (d) a phase adjustment / motion alteration mechanism connected to the two pairs of vibration generating arrows, such mechanism being changeable with respect to the dates to present a pair of the arrows to change their angular position relative to each other torque, to vary in a controlled manner the application of vibratory forces to the movement of the conveyor of the material transport member through the vibration generating means without changing the direction of the line resulting from the resultant force.
2. The individual drive conveyor apparatus, according to claim 1, characterized in that the phase adjustment / movement alteration mechanism can be changed relative to the arrows with weight as the arrows rotate.
3. The individual drive conveyor apparatus, according to claim 1, characterized in that the phase adjustment / movement alteration mechanism is not pivoted in its movement of change.
4. An individual drive conveyor with phase / motion control for adjusting the application of vibratory forces to the movement of the conveyor without changing the direction of the line resulting from the vibrational force generated by it, characterized in that it comprises: (a) a transport member of elongated material having a longitudinal centroidal axis; (b) vibration generating means connected to the material transporting member for transmitting vibratory forces to the material transporting member substantially only in a direction parallel with the longitudinal centroidal axis of the material transporting member; (c) the vibration generating means include two pairs of rotatable, parallel vibration generating arrows, each arrow of each pair carrying an eccentric load that generates a force equal to that generated by the eccentric load carried by the other torque arrow and rotating in a direction opposite to the direction of rotation of the other arrow of the pair and at an equal speed; (d) the vibration generating means having one of the pairs of the vibration generating arrows, rotating at a speed that is twice the speed of rotation of the other pair and carrying eccentrically placed loads, which generate different forces in value of the forces generated by the loads of the other pair; and (e) a phase adjustment / movement alteration mechanism connected to the two pairs of vibration generating arrows, each mechanism being changeable with respect to the dates to make a pair of the arrows change their angular position in relation to that of the other pair to thus vary in a controlled manner the application of vibratory forces to the material transport member through the vibration generating means without changing the direction of the line resulting from the resultant force.
5. The individual drive conveyor apparatus, according to claim 4, characterized in that the vibration generating means are connected to the material transporting member on the longitudinally centroidal axis of the member.
6. The individual drive conveyor, according to claim 4, characterized in that the arrows are driven by a single continuous flexible drive element. The individual drive conveyor apparatus, according to claim 30, characterized in that the continuous flexible drive element has a top continuum extending in a drive relationship between an arrow and each of the pairs of vibration generating arrows , and has a lower continuum that extends in a driving relationship between the other arrow of each of the pairs of the vibration generating arrows and the phase adjustment / motion alteration mechanism that couples each of the upper and upper continuums to each other. lower and simultaneously shortens one of them while lengthening the other as the phase adjustment / movement alteration mechanism changes. 8. A method to determine the optimum application of a vibratory force to obtain an optimum transport speed for a given material, which is being transported on a conveyor where the direction of the line resulting from the vibrational force generated is substantially only parallel to the longitudinal centroidal axis of the material transport member of the conveyor apparatus, characterized in that it comprises the steps of: (a) providing a conveyor apparatus having a transport member of elongated material with a longitudinal centroidal axis, and vibration generating means of individual drive connected to the material transporting member for transmitting the vibratory forces to the material transporting member substantially only in a direction parallel to the longitudinal centroidal axis of the material transporting member, the vibration generating means including a prime a pair of vibrating arrows, which carry eccentrically mounted, oppositely placed loads that generate substantially equal opposing forces in a direction normal to the longitudinal centroidal axis of the material transport member, and a second pair of vibrating arrows carrying eccentrically mounted loads, oppositely placed that generate opposing forces substantially equal in a direction normal to the longitudinal centroidal axis of the material transporting member, the second pair of vibrating arrows normally rotating at an average speed, which is a predetermined ratio of the speed of the first vibratory arrows; (b) selecting and fixing the eccentric loads carried by the second pair of vibrating arrows to a predetermined nominal angular position relative to the eccentric loads carried by the first pair of vibrating arrows to define a relative angular displacement therebetween; (c) upload the member of transportation of material with the desired material that will be transported by it; (d) activating the vibration generating means for transporting the material on the material transport member at an initial transportation speed; (e) observe the effect after the material has been transported as it is transported at such a speed of transportation; (f) loading, during the transportation operation, the angular position of the eccentric loads carried by the second vibrating arrows with respect to the angular position of the eccentric loads carried by the first vibrating arrows, an amount estimated to change the speed of transportation in order to get close to the optimum speed of transportation; and (g) repeating steps (e) through (f) until an optimum transportation speed is observed for the material being transported. The method, according to claim 8, characterized in that the step of providing a conveyor apparatus includes providing an activated individual drive belt having a first continuous and a second and which is connected in drive relationship to the arrows, and wherein the changes made in step (f) are achieved by lengthening a continuum of the band while shortening the other continuous of the same. The method, according to claim 8, characterized in that the changes made in the step (f) thereof are achieved while the arrows are rotated to change the relative angular displacement between the pairs of arrows during the operation of the member of transportation of material.